Search Website

Search Directory

A to Z

UVM Course Directory

Course Description: Provides students with a sound foundation in the craft of musical theatre performance. Instruction guides students to connect vocally, emotionally, and physically to musical materials that reflect various historical periods and styles of musical theatre. Prerequisite: THE 010.

Section Description: This course provides students with basic training in acting for the musical theatre. Course work will guide students to connect vocally, emotionally, and physically to their material which will reflect various periods and styles of musical theatre. The class seeks to answer vital questions for the musical theatre actor: How does one learn to get the song into their entire body and communicate the lyrics whether in a classroom or on a stage? Who does one sing to when auditioning for a musical? What does one do with their hands? Just like working on a monologue in an acting class, a song requires a commitment to the lyrics and connecting emotions to those lyrics. The textbook, Acting in Musical Theatre, is required reading for this course. Students must prepare and memorize a musical theatre song of their choice to sing on the first day of class--be sure to bring your sheet music. Also, students taking this class must have a recording device to record songs to use for practice during the week.
About the Instructor: Craig Wells appeared on Broadway in Les Misérables and Chess (original cast recording). Off-Broadway in Forbidden Broadway (original cast recording Forbidden Broadway Vol. 3), Closer Than Ever, Balancing Act (original cast recording). He also appeared in the National Tours of Les Misérables and Pirates of Penzance. Regional Theatre: King in Big River (Syracuse Stage); Closer Than Ever (Arena Stage); Max in Lend Me a Tenor (Jupiter Theater); and Sam in Shenandoah (St. Louis MUNY). At St. Michaels Playhouse, Craig played the Man in Chair in The Drowsy Chaperone, Ernie Cusack in Rumors, and Agent Frank in Unnecessary Farce. At UVM he played Caldwell B. Cladwell in Urinetown and Herr Schultz in Cabaret. Last fall he directed the UVM production, A Grand Night for Singing.